Published: Saturday, November 23, 2013 at 6:00 p.m.

Last Modified: Saturday, November 23, 2013 at 6:09 p.m.

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In one sense, the Alabama-Auburn game is always everything for the two teams. Such are the consequences of losing in the best, bitterest intrastate rivalry in college football. This year, though, the considerations are much greater. A trip to Atlanta for the SEC Championship Game awaits the winner. But there is still more.

For Auburn, it is a chance to do something itself that it has waited nearly three fruitless years for someone else to do: derail Alabama, once and for all. That isn't the only thing. Circumstances might keep Auburn out of BCS championship game if it wins twice, or they might not.

But even if that improbable dream didn't become a reality, the game on Saturday represents a chance for Auburn to stop Alabama, to deny the Crimson Tide a third straight BCS championship. I am not going to say that such an accomplishment would be as satisfying for the collective Auburn fan base as an actual AU championship, but it would come close, I suspect.

Now, beating Auburn does not make Alabama a BCS champion for a third straight time. The trip to Jordan-Hare could be the biggest obstacle that Alabama faces on the way to that goal, or it may be the least of the remaining three games. Alabama could face a top-five team from Missouri in Atlanta (deadline for this column was far ahead of the Ole Miss/Missouri outcome) and a No. 2-ranked Florida State in Pasadena. That would be three top five opponents in a row. Compare that to 2011, when Alabama faced a basically noncompetitive Auburn team, didn't have to play in Atlanta at all then drew the rematch with LSU. This is far different.

So you could argue that winning against Auburn only gives Alabama another chance. Losing to Auburn would be more definitive. The dream, from Alabama's standpoint, would end. A BCS bowl might not be entirely out of reach, depending on other outcomes, but would Alabama even care?

This could be the week of the crashing halt. Auburn thinks it is a team of destiny this year, and perhaps it is. The arc of the Tiger program over the past four years has been remarkable in the history of college football.

I defy anyone to show me another program that has had two BCS contenders with a winless conference season sandwiched in between in a similar time frame. (Alabama's “bad” team in the same stretch went 10-3 and finished No. 11 in the nation.) AU has pinballed from great to terrible and back in rapid succession. Maybe the Tigers aren't quite great — this Saturday will tell the tale. But it is a program that makes you reluctant to say that anything is impossible.

The possible future for Alabama is fascinating to think about, but in this week, Alabama cannot afford to think about it.

“We need to focus on what we have to do to win the game and not worry about the hype around it,” Alabama linebacker C.J. Mosley said. “There's going to be a lot of hype, especially with it being the Alabama-Auburn game. We just have to do what we have to do.”

That is the correct strategy. Now, it is just a matter of doing it. Because the upcoming Alabama-Auburn game is everything. Except it isn't.

<p>The Auburn game is now everything for Alabama. Except that it isn't. Except that it is.</p><p>In one sense, the Alabama-Auburn game is always everything for the two teams. Such are the consequences of losing in the best, bitterest intrastate rivalry in college football. This year, though, the considerations are much greater. A trip to Atlanta for the SEC Championship Game awaits the winner. But there is still more. </p><p>For Auburn, it is a chance to do something itself that it has waited nearly three fruitless years for someone else to do: derail Alabama, once and for all. That isn't the only thing. Circumstances might keep Auburn out of BCS championship game if it wins twice, or they might not. </p><p>But even if that improbable dream didn't become a reality, the game on Saturday represents a chance for Auburn to stop Alabama, to deny the Crimson Tide a third straight BCS championship. I am not going to say that such an accomplishment would be as satisfying for the collective Auburn fan base as an actual AU championship, but it would come close, I suspect. </p><p>Now, beating Auburn does not make Alabama a BCS champion for a third straight time. The trip to Jordan-Hare could be the biggest obstacle that Alabama faces on the way to that goal, or it may be the least of the remaining three games. Alabama could face a top-five team from Missouri in Atlanta (deadline for this column was far ahead of the Ole Miss/Missouri outcome) and a No. 2-ranked Florida State in Pasadena. That would be three top five opponents in a row. Compare that to 2011, when Alabama faced a basically noncompetitive Auburn team, didn't have to play in Atlanta at all then drew the rematch with LSU. This is far different. </p><p>So you could argue that winning against Auburn only gives Alabama another chance. Losing to Auburn would be more definitive. The dream, from Alabama's standpoint, would end. A BCS bowl might not be entirely out of reach, depending on other outcomes, but would Alabama even care? </p><p>This could be the week of the crashing halt. Auburn thinks it is a team of destiny this year, and perhaps it is. The arc of the Tiger program over the past four years has been remarkable in the history of college football. </p><p>I defy anyone to show me another program that has had two BCS contenders with a winless conference season sandwiched in between in a similar time frame. (Alabama's “bad” team in the same stretch went 10-3 and finished No. 11 in the nation.) AU has pinballed from great to terrible and back in rapid succession. Maybe the Tigers aren't quite great — this Saturday will tell the tale. But it is a program that makes you reluctant to say that anything is impossible. </p><p>The possible future for Alabama is fascinating to think about, but in this week, Alabama cannot afford to think about it. </p><p>“We need to focus on what we have to do to win the game and not worry about the hype around it,” Alabama linebacker C.J. Mosley said. “There's going to be a lot of hype, especially with it being the Alabama-Auburn game. We just have to do what we have to do.” </p><p>That is the correct strategy. Now, it is just a matter of doing it. Because the upcoming Alabama-Auburn game is everything. Except it isn't. </p><p>Except it is. </p><p><i>Reach Cecil Hurt at cecil@tidesports.com or 205-722-0225.</i></p>